Friday, November 11, 2011

The Worst Storm in Many Years

From a Pine City newspaper, February 22, 1922:

A jammed frog in the side-track at Wellman's crossing south of Hinckley and the worst storm that has visited this section in many, many noons, all tended to cause a disagreeable tie up in railroad traffic between the twin cities and twin ports. The fast freight Tuesday night started the ruction and five box cars and the engine and tender piled up in a neat heap during the early hours of the blizzard. Before the wrecking crew could reach the scene of the disaster, the wind and snow had piled the track full in many of the cuts along the line. The Tuesday night train reached here on time, but was held here until Wednesday afternoon. The south bound night train went over the G.N. tracks from Hinckley and no more trains reached here from Duluth until late yesterday.

The storm raged all day Wednesday and the drifting snow made matters worse. The Wednesday night train ran into much snow at the cut south of Rock Creek and when finally reached by rescue engines was almost buried. They reached here yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock with three healthy engines hitched to the bow end. Shortly after their arrival the snow plow from the north reached here followed by a delayed passenger train. If the accident at Wellman's could have been averted, the steady passage of freight and passenger trains would have kept the tracks clear.

The city as well as several others along the way fed the storm bound passengers during their forced visit.

The streets of the city have taken on a grotesque aspect, with mountain-high drifts everywhere, behind which hide businesses and houses. Everybody who could scare up a camera was out yesterday afternoon getting snap shots of the town, and of the 10-horse snow plow outfit captained by Mayor Perkins which opened the streets for school children and others. Their work was to go on this morning.

Mail carriers are marking time and wondering how they will be able to haul the accumulated mail when the roads do become passable. 

A train stranded by the 1922 blizzard

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